Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 5

लङ्कादर्शनम्

Viewing Laṅkā and its Forest-Gardens

Devanagari script

चम्पकाशोकपुन्नागसालतालसमाकुला ।तमालवनसञ्छन्नानागमालासमावृता ।।6.39.3।।हिन्तालैरर्जुनैर्नीपैस्सप्तपर्णैश्चपुष्पितैः ।तिलकैःकर्णिकारैश्चपाटलैश्चसमन्ततः ।।6.39.4।।शुशुभेपुष्पिताग्रैश्चलतापरिगतैर्द्रुमैः ।लङ्काबहुविधैर्दिव्यैर्यथेन्द्रस्यामरावती ।।6.39.5।।विचित्रकुसुमोपेतैरक्तकोमलपल्लवैः ।शाद्वलैश्चतथानीपैश्चित्राभिर्वनराजिभिः ।।6.39.6।।

Transliteration

campakāśokapunnāgasālatālasamākulā |

tamālavana-sañchannā nāgamālāsamāvṛtā ||6.39.3||

hintālair arjunair nīpaiḥ saptaparṇaiś ca puṣpitaiḥ |

tilakaiḥ karṇikāraiś ca pāṭalaiś ca samantataḥ ||6.39.4||

śuśubhe puṣpitāgraiś ca latāparigatair drumaiḥ |

laṅkā bahuvidhair divyair yathendrasyāmarāvatī ||6.39.5||

vicitrakusumopetair raktakomala-pallavaiḥ |

śādvalaiś ca tathā nīpaiś citrābhir vanarājibhiḥ ||6.39.6||

Translation

Laṅkā hiện ra rợp bóng cây rừng: đầy những cây campaka, aśoka, punnāga, sāla, tāla; lại bị che phủ bởi rừng tamāla và bao quanh bởi nāgamāla. Khắp nơi, những cây hintāla, arjuna, nīpa, saptaparṇa, tilaka, karṇikāra và pāṭala nở hoa trang nghiêm. Với ngọn cây trĩu hoa, dây leo quấn quanh thân, thành rực rỡ bởi muôn loài thảo mộc kỳ diệu, tựa Amarāvatī của Thiên chủ Indra—sáng ngời bởi hoa sắc màu, chồi non đỏ thắm, thảm cỏ xanh và những dải rừng muôn vẻ.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् 'वनम्'

• caitraratha-saṅkāśam: resembling (the garden) Chaitraratha
• caitraratha-saṅkāśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caitraratha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (चैत्ररथवत् सङ्काशम् = resembling Chaitraratha)

• manojñam: delightful
• manojñam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manojña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् 'वनम्'

• nandana-upamam: like Nandana (Indra's garden)
• nandana-upamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nandana (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नन्दनस्य उपमम् = like Nandana)

• vanam: the forest/grove
• vanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sarvartukam: having all seasons (ever-flourishing)
• sarvartukam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛtu (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषु ऋतुषु भवम् = having all seasons)

• ramyam: beautiful
• ramyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् 'वनम्'

• śuśubhe: shone/was splendid
• śuśubhe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śubh (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ṣaṭpadāyutam: filled with bees
• ṣaṭpadāyutam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭpada (प्रातिपदिक) + āyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षट्पदैः आयुतम् = filled with bees)

Context

The city of Lanka looked charming with tall towers resembling white cluster of clouds fortified with gold and silver.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Amarāvatī
• Indra

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse indirectly highlights dharma through discernment: outward splendor can mask inner adharma. Laṅkā’s beauty is real, yet the narrative context reminds the reader that righteousness is judged by conduct and truth (satya), not by wealth or ornament.

What is the narrative situation?

As the campaign reaches Laṅkā, the poem pauses to describe the city’s extraordinary beauty—its groves, flowering trees, and garden-like forest belts—seen in the approach to the impending confrontation with Rāvaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadiness (dhairya) and moral clarity are emphasized by contrast: even when faced with a dazzling city, his purpose remains fixed on restoring dharma and satya rather than being distracted by grandeur.